How to Encourage Greater Creativity

My apologies for the delay in posting. Things have been crazy at this end. My wife and I have found children ranging in age from 11 to 10 months. Lately the baby has been having some frightening health issues but I think she'll be fine in the long run.

Also, I've been coaching my 9 year old's soccer team this year. And the team has been simply awesome. They are undefeated after 10 games in the Mustang Soccer league which is highly competitive. And we have not even focused on trying to win. We focus on playing to our potential and putting forth best effort. Before each game, I do a simple sports psychology technique to put them in the 'zone' called the Circle of Power. And they go out and tear it up. That's been a blast.

However, my topic today is creativity and ways that you can encourage your own creativity.

It seems that most geniuses and great artists throughout the past have all had muses. Da Vinci, Picasso, Van Gogh, John Lennon - many of the greats had partners which inspired their creativity. Just like a peacock, men use creative expressions of music, art, poetry, writing and other areas to attract partners.

Psychologists at Arizona State University recently discovered that men - but not women - were significantly more creative and inspired afer picturing a beautiful woman (or a hot date). On the other hand, women were inspired when they imagined the perfect long-term mate. The difference here is one of time. Men were inspired by imagining a short-term, highly attractive date. Women were inspired by imagining a long-term, attractive, emotionally intelligent partner.

Surprisingly, picturing these attractive individuals worked better to spark creativity than did the offer of money to create.

So, it seems that the simple act of thinking about mating, mates and dates turns up those creative juices. Imagine that!

Dr. John Schinnerer
Author, Psychologist, Founder, and Coach
Guide To Self: The Beginner's Guide To Managing Emotion and Thought

Copyright 2005-2006. Dr. John Schinnerer and Guide To Self, Inc. All rights reserved